Apparatus for deflecting and guiding a descending slab



June 28, 1966 G. N. KRUEGER 3,257,691

APPARATUS FOR DEFLECTING AND GUIDING A DESCENDING SLAB Filed Feb. 25, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VE N TOR June 28, 1966 G. N. KRUEGER 3,257,691

APPARATUS FOR DEFLECTING AND GUIDING A DESCENDING SLAB 4 SheetwSheet 2 Filed Feb. 25, 1963 INVENTOR GLEN/V N. KRUEGER Attorney June 28, 1966 KRUEGER 3,257,691

APPARATUS FOR DEFLECTING AND GUIDING A DESCENDING SLAB 4 Sheets-$heet 5 Filed Feb. 25, 1963 //v ve/v TOR 6L EN/V N. KRUEGER 1 June 28, 1966 G. N. KRUEGER 3,257,691

APPARATUS FOR DEFLEGTING AND GUIDING A DESCENDING SLAB 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 25, 1963 I M H 1 m m rt I m m m mHlHu l. 1 k l. im M- j U i/r 1V IHHHHJI IH IHHlHHI'I IHHHHHW GLEN/V N. KRU GER kfforney invention to provide improved means United States Patent 3,257,691 APPARATUS FOR DEFLECTING AND GUIDING A DESCENDING SLAB Glenn N. Krueger, Riverside Township, Cook County,

Ill., assignor to United States Steel Corporation, a corpartition of Delaware Filed Feb. 25, 1963, Ser. No. 260,470 10 Claims. (Cl. 22-57.2)

This invention relates generally to continuous casting and, more particularly, to apparatus for progressively deflecting a continuously cast slab or the like from its normal straight form and vertical path of descent to a curved condition whereby it will conform to the arc of a curved roller table effective finally to deliver the slab horizontally.

In the continuous casting of semi-finished masses of steel, such as a slab, for example, it is most convenient to employ an erect flow-through chill mold and to take the product therefrom vertically downward. This means that the product must be cut into lengths and laid down in horizontal position for further processing, unless provision can be made for imparting a curvature to the casting so it will eventually come into a horizontal position for final delivery. Such provision is shown generally in Easton et 21., Patent 2,920,359. It is the object of my for progressively imparting a bend to a columnar slab or the like descending vertically from a mold having a straight-through cavity, after it has left the mold and been cooled so that it has solidified substantially throughout but while it still remains lastic.

P In a preferred embodiment of the invention, I provide a curved roller table extending from a point below the usual pinch rolls employed to control the descent of the casting and on one side of the vertical path the casting would traverse if not deflected. Above the table, I mount a pusher roll on a car on the other side of said path, and movable toward and from it. Two back-up rolls are disposed above the entry end of the table, one above and one below the pusher roll, to cooperate therewith in effecting a progressive bend. A fulcrum roll between the pinch rolls and the pusher and back-up bending rolls, serves in cooperation with the latter to initiate a gradual deflection of the slab leading into a progressive deformation on a smooth curve. A guide panel vertically reciprocable from a position below the upper end of the roller table to a position between the latter and the pusher roll, directs the slab onto the curved roller table. A hold-down roll is located a short distance downwardly along the table effective to keep the bent slab in contact therewith.

A complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from the following detailed description and explanation which refer to the accompanying drawings illus trating the present preferred embodiment. In the drawin s:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation showing the upper end of the curved roller table and the locations of the remaining apparatus elements relative thereto;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken along the plane of line II-II of FIGURE 1 with parts broken away for greater detail; 1

FIGURE 3. is a plan view of the back-up rolls, their supports and their adjusting means;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation of the back-up rolls shown in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a front elevation of the guide panel and the frame in which it reciprocates;

FIGURE 6 is a vertical section taken of line VI-VI of FIGURE 5 along the plane 3,257,691 Patented June 28,1966

FIGURE 6a is a view similar to FIGURE 6 with the parts in alternate positions; and

FIGURE 7 is a horizontal section taken along the plane of line VII-VII of FIGURE 5.

Referring now in detail to the drawings and, for the present, to FIGURE 1 particularly, my invention is adapted to bend a continuously cast steel slab 10 descending from a mold between guide rollers and water sprays (not shown), under the control of pinch rolls indicated diagrammatically at 11. As the slab descends, it first engages a fulcrum roll 12. It next passes between a pusher roll 13 mounted in a car 14 and a pair of back-up rolls 15 and-16 mounted on a tilting frame 17. Finally the slab enters upon a curved roller table 18 having a guide panel 19 at the upper end and a hold-down roll 20 a short distance downwardly along the table. The several elements of the slab-bending apparatus enumerated above will now be described in detail, in the order mentioned.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, spaced beams 21 supported by girders 22 of a structural frame have the upper flanges slotted for bolting thereto, in adjusted position, bearings 23 slidable thereon. Opposed screws 24 threaded through blocks 24a fixed to beams 21, engage opposite ends of the bearings and permit them to be adjusted horizontally when the bolts securing them have been loosened. Bearings 23 support fulcrum roll 12 for movernent toward and from the path of slab 10. A cooperating roll 25 is journaled in bearings 26. These bearings are carried on slides 27 movable in guide boxes 28 by screws 29. Roll 25 serves to prevent possible deflection of slab 10 away from roll 12. Brackets 30 depending from a girder 22 support spaced beams 31 at one end. At their other end, the beams are carried by a girder (not shown) of the aforementioned structural frame. Car 14 has wheels 32 by which it travels on rails 33 fixed on top of beams 31. The car comprises a frame including outer and inner pairs of vertical posts 34 and 35 connected by upper transverse lengths of pipe 36 and lower lengths 37. Trucks 38 secured to the upper ends of posts 34 mount stub shafts 39 on which wheels 32 are journaled.

The car is held on rails by shoes 40 mounted on the ends of lower pipe length 36 which slidingly engage runner bars 41 secured to the lower faces of the upper flanges of beams 31. Drive shafts 42 extend from a speed reducer 43 through posts 35 and are journaled in bearings 44 secured to posts 34. Pinions 45 keyed to the outer ends of the shafts mesh with racks 46 secured to the bottom flanges of beams 31. A motor 47 mounted on an intermediate cross member 48 of the car frame drives reducer 43 through built-in reduction gearing and a coupling 47a.

Longitudinal car-frame members 49 extend horizontally from the lower ends of posts 35 and are braced by 1 bridging diagonals 50 serves, if needed, initially to deflect the lower end of'a descending slab over roll 13 when starting up. Atsuch time car 14 will first be retracted to permit downward passage of the flexible starter bar (not shown) for severance and disposition, before the slab is initially bent. This bending is started by advancing the car after the free end of the slab has passed below the level of skid plate 52 or roll 13.

The back-up rolls 15 and 16 and the structure associated with them are more fully illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4. As there shown, spaced beams 53 carried on suitable supports have ways 54 thereon. Bearings 55 are gibbed to and slidable on the ways. A structural frame 56 including spaced posts 57 and a connecting cross beam 58, has trunnions 59 journaled in bearings 55. A rotation-limiting or stop plate 60 is keyed to each trunnion and has feet 69a and 60b on the lower side adapted alternatively to engage the base of bearing 55. Plate 60 also has a notch for cooperation with a manually operable latch 61 pivotally mounted on bearing 55.

Bearings 62 for rolls 15 and 16 are secured on the same side of posts 57 near their upper and lower ends, respectively. A counterweight 63 is secured to the posts at their upper ends on the other side. The counterweight exerts a torque on frame 56 tending to turn it clockwise as far as permitted by stop plate 60. In this position, latch 61 engages the notch in plate 60 to prevent counterclockwise tilting of frame 56, and the latter may serve to exert a horizontal push on the slab when desired.

A jackscrew 64 is threaded through the wheel of a worm and worm-wheel gear in a box 65. The box is mounted on a transverse beam 66. One end of the screw has an eye pivotally connected to a clevis 58a on cross beam 58 of frame 56, coaxial with bearings 55 by a through bolt. A worm-wheel gear is driven by a motor 68 through a reducer 69. The motor and reducer are mounted on a base 70 carried by beam 67. Thus, by operation of motor 68, the frame 56 may be advanced along ways 54 toward the path of casting 10 or retracted therefrom.

When frame 56 is advanced tothe proper operative position, the counterweight 63 holds the roller frame assembly in an angular position conforming to the countour of the slab. Angular movement of frame 56 in clockwise or counterclockwise direction is limited by stop plate foot 60b or 60a. In normal operation, neither foot 60a or 60b contacts the base of bearing 55. The only function of stop plate foot 60b is to limit the clockwise rotation when the roll 16 is removed or when the frame 56 is moved back from operating to vertical position. When the frame is retracted after being tilted, a cam plate 71 at the lower end of each of the posts 57 engages a striker plate 72 mounted on beam 67 and restores the frame to vertical position whereupon latch 61 is engaged with plate 60. In such position, the assembly may be used as pusher if desired.

Referring now to FIGURES -7, guide panel 19 has ears 73 projecting from its sides at its lower edge, which are slidable vertically in ways 74 fixed to vertical members 75 carried by brackets 7511 on the columns supporting the upper end of table 18. A pneumatic cylinder 76 has one' end pivoted to a cross beam 77 extending between members 75 and its piston rod pivoted to a block 78 fixed to the back of panel 19 adjacent its upper edge. When the piston is retracted in the cylinder, panel 19 descends into contact with bottom stops 79 on beam 77.

A tiltable apron plate 80 is pivoted in bearings 81 fixed to members 75 and its upper edge has sliding engagement with the face of panel 19. When the panel is raised to the position shown in FIGURE 6, plate 80 is tilted up out of the way. In this position, the panel serves to guide upward movement of a flexible starter bar as it is pushed up into the mold. When the panel is dropped, the upper edge of plate 80 rides over the inclined upper portion 19a of the panel and the plate tilts downwardly to the position shown in FIGURES 1 and 6a. In that position, it serves to deflect the descending lower end of the slab out over the uppermost roller of table 18.

FIGURE 1 shows how the hold-down roll 20 is mounted. Housings 8-2 upstanding on the side members of roller table 18 have bearings 83 slidable therein. Adjusting screws 84 threaded through the tops of the housings engage the bearings whereby they may be adjusted toward or from the path of the slab along the table. Roll 20 is journaled in bearings 83 and may be thus positioned to overcome any tendency of the leading end of the slab to curl up and away from the table.

It will be evident from the foregoing that my invention provides means for bending a continuously cast slab, which have the necessary strength and rigidity yet are readily adjustable to meet various operating conditions and to accommodate slabs of different thicknesses. The pusher roll 13 initiates a long-radius bend of the slab commencing at the fulcrum roll 12 and, with the cooperation of the back-up rolls 15 and 16, maintains the curvature initially established so that the slab follows smoothly down the curved roller table 18. Roll 12 may be omitted and bending effected about the right-hand pinch roll as a fulcrum.

Although I have disclosed herein the preferred embodiment of my invention, I intend to cover as well any change or modification therein which may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for bending laterally from its normal substantially vertical path of descent, a continuous columnar casting, comprising a horizontal fulcrum roll at one side of said path, a car below said roll on the other side of said path adapted to travel toward and from the latter, a pusher roll journaled at the end of said car nearer said path to engage the casting and initiate a bend therein about said fulcrum roll, an upstanding frame tiltably mounted on the opposite side of said path from said pusher roll, and horizontal back-up rolls journaled in said frame at vertically spaced locations.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, characterized by one of said back-up rolls being above and one below said pusher roll.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, characterized by,

spaced bearings in which said frame is journaled and means mounting said bearings for adjustment in a substantially horizontal direction.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, characterized by jack means pivoted to said frame coaxially with said bearings.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, characterized by cam means on said frame and a fixed striker plate engageable thereby, effective to tilt said frame on horizontal adjustment of said bearings in one direction.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, characterized by means limiting tilting of said frame in both directions.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6, characterized by latch means holding said frame in one of its extreme positions.

8. The combination with a curved roller table of a guide panel slidable vertically at the upper end of said table, means for raising said panel from a lower out-ofthe-way position to an upper position in which it affords a skid surface lying generally in a plane tangent to the two nearest rollers of said table, an auxiliary guide plate extending across said panel and means pivotally mounting said plate whereby one edge thereof is in sliding engagement with said panel.

9. A curved roller table including a plurality of rollers for guiding a descending slab in a curved path, a vertically slid-able guide panel mounted at the upper end of said table, and means for raising said panel from a lower out-of-the-way position to an upper position in which it affords a skid surface lying generally in a plane tangent to the two nearest rollers of said table.

10. Apparatus for bending laterially from its normal substantially veritcal path of descent, a continuous columnar casting, comprising a horizontal fulcrum roll at one side of said path, a car below said roll on the other side of said path adapted to travel toward and from the latter, a pusher roll journaled at the end of said car nearer said path adapted to engage the casting and initiate a bend therein about said fulcrum roll, and a skid plate mounted on said car above said pusher roll and sloping downwardly and out over said pusher roll.

(References on following page) 6 6 References Cited by the Examiner FOREIGN PATENTS UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,264,943 5/1961 France.

900,734 7/1962 Great Britain.

2,264,289 12/1941 Betterton et a1. 22-57.2 2 501 7 3 195 Poms 2 2. 5 XR 5 I. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner. 2,920,359 1/1960 Easton et a1. 22-572 M. U. LYONS. R. A. SANDLER, Assistanl Examiners. 

1. APPARATUS FOR BENDING LATERALLY FROM ITS NORMAL SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL PATH OF DESCENT, A CONTINUOUS COLUMNAR CASTING, COMPRISING A HORIZONTAL FULCRUM ROLL AT ONE SIDE OF SAID PATH, A CAR BELOW SAID ROLL ON THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID PATH ADAPTED TO TRAVEL TOWARD AND FROM THE LATTER, A PUSHER ROLL JOURNALED AT THE END OF SAID CAR NEARER SAID PATH TO ENGAGE THE CASTING AND INITIATE A BEND THEREIN ABOUT SAID FULCRUM ROLL, AN UPSTANDING FRAME TILTABLY MOUNTED ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID PATH FROM SAID PUSHER ROLL, AND HORIZONTAL BACK-UP ROLLS JOURNALED IN SAID FRAME AT VERTICALLY SPACED LOCATIONS.
 9. A CURVED ROLLER TABLE INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF ROLLERS FOR GUIDING A DESCENDING SLAB IN A CURVED PATH, A VERTICALLY SLIDABLE GUIDE PANEL MOUNTED AT THE UPPER END OF SAID TABLE, MEANS FOR RAISING SAID PANEL FROM A LOWER OUT-OF-THE-WAY POSITION TO AN UPPER POSITION IN 